Reviews

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

For the most part, the differences between the PS2 and Xbox versions of the game are cosmetic, although there are some game mechanics that work better on one version over the other. For my money, however, the Xbox version is the one to buy if you want the best possible Grand Theft Auto experience out there. The shiny bells and whistles that have been added to the Xbox game far outweigh the few niggling control issues, most of which will only be obvious to people who have played both versions of the title.

The two major changes to the game speak volumes about how powerful the Xbox system is when compared to Sony's console. When the developers at Rockstar North were creating assets for the game, they made everything in high resolution, then decreased the level of detail in an effort to make it run smoothly on the PS2. However, thanks to the Xbox's processing power, they were able to use all of those assets (including character models, textures, and signs) as they were originally intended.

Not surprisingly, this makes the game's world look a hell of a lot better, as you can now see little details that you might not have noticed the last time around. From mock billboards that sport naughty double entendres to downright dirty theater marquees, there are tons of instances where Rockstar's unique sense of humor shines through. There's more to making a world immersive than just throwing in some realistic looking signs, however, and fans will be happy to hear that just about everything has received a fresh coat of polish.

The other big addition to the game is courtesy of the Xbox's built-in hard drive. As was the case in the Xbox versions of the previous Grand Theft Auto games, you can once again rip the music of your choice onto the drive, then play it as you drive around. It will appear as a radio station, and you have the option of having the songs play sequentially, randomly, as well as allowing the game to insert commercials between the tracks to make it sound like an actual radio station.